It often happens that refreshments are served at gatherings where table seating is not available for all guests, and the guests are required to awkwardly juggle a plate, a beverage, eating utensils and a napkin while standing. At a cocktail party, for example, the guest has to hold a beverage container in one hand and a plate with hors d'oeuvres in the other hand and rest the utensils on the edge of the plate. In order to eat from the plate, the guest must first find a place to temporarily set down the beverage.
Various trays and plates have been devised in the prior art which provide a means for holding a plate and a beverage, especially in situations such as cocktail parties where the guest often stands and moves about while eating and drinking. Task, U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,331, discloses a combination hors d'oeuvres, drink and utensil holder in the form of an oval-shaped plastic platform having various recessed compartments, with the beverage holder compartment depending downwardly from the platform and forming a handle for the user to grasp.
Torkelson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,077, discloses a hand-held support plate for serving foods and beverages comprising a rigid plate with various shallow recesses to hold food and drink. The plate includes a thumb aperture so that a thumb of a user can be inserted up through the aperture from the bottom of the plate to provide additional stability.
Xu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,011, discloses a plate formed from a rigid material having a shallow recess for food, a central thumb aperture, and a larger aperture sized to allow the passage of a cup partially therethrough. The user is able to place their thumb through the thumb aperture and use their fingers to grasp the cup in order to hold the plate in one hand.
Cinque, U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,856, discloses a combination plate and cup holder formed from a rigid plastic web having a recessed portion sized to receive and hold a plate and a circular beverage holding aperture having a sufficient diameter to hold a glass. The device also includes utensil and napkin holder aperture.
Representative design patents in the prior art include Morgan (U.S. Pat. No. D130,770), Waltman (U.S. Pat. No. D159,454), Chadbourne (U.S. Pat. No. D185,911), Gilbert (U.S. Pat. No. D195,527), Stageberg (U.S. Pat. No. D214,459), Raines (U.S. Pat. No. D221,035), Robinson (U.S. Pat. No. D226,125), Cox (U.S. Pat. No. D265,154), Powers (U.S. Pat. No. D293,767) and Beute (U.S. Pat. No. D290,919).
While many of these prior art devices may adequately serve their intended purpose, many drawbacks are evident in most of the prior art devices. Many of the devices do not provide adequate upper support for a beverage container sitting in the tray, making it likely the container may topple over when the tray is held in one hand. The prior art devices are most suitable for use with disposable beverage cups, and are not meant to be used with wine glasses or champagne flutes. It would therefore be highly desirable to provide a one-handed food and beverage support suitable for use at more formal gatherings which would securely accommodate glass stemware.